The present invention relates generally to exterior rearview mirrors for automotive vehicles and, more specifically, to a power pack connected within a mirror for remotely controlling the movement of the mirror.
Early automotive vehicles commonly used manual adjustments for adjusting the outside rear view mirrors. That is, the vehicle operator would roll down the window and adjust the mirror by hand. Later improvements to adjusting the mirror included a mechanical system controlled from within the vehicle in which a series of control wires were connected to the mirror. As a control lever inside the vehicle was moved the control wires moved the mirror within the mirror housing.
Further improvements of mirror adjustments include electrically operating the movement mechanism so that a vehicle operator may adjust an electrical switch within the vehicle which is connected to a motorized unit within the mirror housing. The motorized unit is commonly called a power pack. Many configurations for power packs are known. Due to various factors, movement of a mirror using the power pack can generate a considerable amount of noise. Noise is generated from the movement mechanisms such as gears within the power pack which cause the mirror to move. Typically, the noise generated is very undesirable. Thus, it would be preferable to eliminate such undesirable noise.
Another disadvantage of prior art mirror configurations is that the movement of the mirror with respect to the housing is choppy. That is, movement of the mirror comes in short spurts rather than in a smooth fluid-like motion. Providing smooth mirror operation is desirable.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a mirror assembly having reduced operating noise while providing smooth operation.